Amusement device



-May 8, 1923.' 1,454,273

' J. A. FISHER `AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed March 16. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 l v a a t l H l "-"f I-l l-g WITNESS INVENToR.

La ATTORNEY Patented May 8, 1923.

tmc

JOHN FISHER, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application filed March 16, 1922. Serial No. 544,135."

To all wlw/m, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. F rsrmn, a citizen' of the United States, and residing in the city of Sandusky, in the county of Erie 5 and State of Ohio, have invented or discovered the new, useful, and Improved Amusement Device, of which' the following is a specification. v j

My invention consists in certain newl and useful improvements in amusement devices of the general type-wherein a passenger car is caused to Itravelalimg-a track continuous orotherwisel f l More particularly, my invention is characterized by the imparting to the cars of a motion'in `addition* to itsv travel along the track. This additional motion is preferably, but not necessarily, a rotary motion about an axis either Acoincident'with -or parallel to the axis of the car.

Such motion maybe imparted to the car 4in any suitablemanner. Thus, it maybe volutarily impartedy by a passenger, but 'I prefer to automatically impart such motion tothe car by the travel of said car along the track. v

Thus, in such preferred formfthe track is provided lwith undulations or changes of level disposed either longitudinally or transversely of the track, andthe car is so` mounted Vor arranged that-it will automatically rotate or swing in response to the track-variations.

.Such automatic rotation may be produced ina number of` waysfwhich will suggest themselvesfvto those skilled inthel art. For instance the axis upon which thecar 'rotates may be' sodisposedor the seats or accommodations for the passengers 'may be soar- 40 ranged',` that lthe burden is disposed'eccentrically to `the Vaxis of rotation, so that the heavy side or portion of theA car will tend to swing to' the" lower side in 'response to variv ations in track level, and inclinations in opposite directions will cause the car to swing p backar'idjfrth. y y

To prevent the car from spinning, I prefer to"'provide 'means for limitingthe rotary movement/ofthe car in either direction, and I also provide means for lcushioning such limitationl to avoid' 'jolting and jarring. Means are also provided lfor automatically returning the car to its normal position when at rest o'rtraveling along a horizontal por-i tionof the trackfy I also provide novell means whereby the passenger ma lfresist, control or augment the automatic rotation of the car. y

Other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts willappearxfromthe following description.`

In thev accompanying drawings whicliare however merely intended to illustrate `a practical embodiment of 'the principles 'of my invention without limitingV the scope thereof to the construction shown, Fig. 1 is. a diagrammatic'view in the-side elevation of aportionof the track of an lamusement'l'device provided with longitudinalundulations or dips andy rises yand also with 4,lateralfortransverse inclinations 1n opposite directions; Figs; 2, 3 and fi'a're crossf`sectional views of theV track supposed to be-jtaken along 'the lines ITV-II; III-III; andlIVQ- the drawings. v,

Referring ,first t0 Fig. yL1A' and A represent' the tworails of the; track, Ywhich 'track is ,shown in Fig l, with longitudinal undulations or dips and rises c, and c and also lateral or ,transversel inclinations ineither direction so that one rail is-no-w and now' lower than the other.

The cars B are rotatably mounted onthe higher trucks C, and saidV truck'sare provided with anged wheels 1 which run on the. rails ,A` 3 or A. I 'prefer to use threel wheeled trucks asthe same have not fthe same tendency to four wheeled trucks.' p

'The cars are" cause/dito travel around the tracks .by anyv convenient means.` Thus,v in

`bind,or jump on an luneven track as have Fig. 5V I have indicated a vpulling ,cable 2. 4 Thecar'sgmay be `.connectedto form trains, as bythe coupler bars 3.

Any/convenient methoifl, vof rotatably mountingthe `car onthe truck may be used.

Thus, in Figsl 5n 6` and 7 I Yhave'shown'ja pivot post fixed to ,the 'platform :5 "of'the truck and extending vertically up through the floor 6 of the car, the car thus rotating with the post as an axis. 7|. represents an arc shaped bearing member fixed on the truck platform 5 'on which slides a similar member 8 carried by the car floor, thereby steadying the rotation of the car.

To limit the rotation of the car, and thereb v prevent spinning, I provide a pair of stops 9 on the truck platform which are adapted to be engaged by the ends of the bearing member18. e

To prevent jolting and jarring by violent engagement of bearing member 8 with the stops 9, I provide cushion means comprising a pair of helical springs l@ attached to the truck platform and diverging to be attached to the car at ypoints spaced apart. Said springs also perform the function of auto'- matically returning the car to its normal position when aty rest or traveling along a levell portion of the track.

The upperL end of the pivot post l is provided with a fixed hand wheel ll which I term the steer-ing wheel.

y l2 represents the passenger seat, or. seats,n which are omitted `at one side of the car where adoorway 13 is provided. i

Itis thus evident that the burden of the loaded car. is eccentric to its axis, and therefore as the truck travels along the rails, the 'changes of level in the track will cause the car to rotate on its axis, the heavier or loaded portion of the car tending to swing to the. low side. AFor instance as the truck ascends a rise, the heavy side of the car would swingfaround to the rear, and as the truck descends a dip the heavy side of the car will swing around to ,the front. Likewise, in the lcase of lateral or transverse inclinations in the track, the heavy side of the car will swing tothe lower side.

7The result is that the carvwill swing back and forth.. A passenger, by grasping the steering wheel ll' and exerting his weight o r strengthmay resist and more or less overcome the tendency of the carto rotate,or he may augment such tendency, or on level portions` of track the passenger may cause the cartorotate on its pivot. f

` 8 vI have shown the post 4 fixed to thefloor ofthe car insteaduof the car being pivoted on said post. Inthis easethe pivotal connectionis effected by the trunnion member 14 depending from the,floor of the foar and` journaled in a verticallyv disposed bearing l5 in the truckplatform 5.

Inlxthe l`drawings:eI :have shown the track characterized both y longitudinally and transversely disposed :variations in level or undulations, butitwill be understood that either character of variations alone will producetheV desired rotation It is also evident L'theltrpack maybe straightaway, sinuous, curved, oval or annular.

It is evident from the foregoing that my invention adds greatly to the novelty and attractiveness of amusement devices of this general type.

Although, for the sake of clearness, I have described in detail the embodiment of the principles of my invention shown in the drawings, I do not wish to limit myself thereby, but claim broadly l. In, an amusement device, the combination of a support traveling along a path characterized by `variations of level, a passenger car rotatably mounted ,on said support, means whereby the travel of said support along said path causes said car to rotate on said support, and resilient means re sisting said rotation.V

2. In an amusement device, the combi,- nation of a support traveling along a path characterized by variations of level, apassenger car rotatably mounted on said support, means whereby the travell of said support along said path causes said car to rotate on said support, means for limiting said rotation, and means for cushioning said limitation.

3. In. an amusement device the combination of a supporttraveling along a path characterized by 'variations in level, vand ra passenger car rotatively mounted on said support, said' carbeing mountedvin such a manner that when loaded it is ,eccentric to its axis of rotation whereby the travel of said support causes said car tovrotate on said axis, I, n Y

4.*In', an amusement device, the combination of a support traveling along a path characterized by variations ofLlevel, av passenger car ,rotatively mounted on said support, said car being mounted in such a manner that when loaded it is eccentric toits axis ofv rotation whereby the travel of said support causes said car to rotate on said axis, and means for limiting the rotation of lsaid car. ,y ,I v

l 5. In an amusement` device, thecombination of a vsupport traveling alongl a path characterized by variations of levela pas senger car rotatively mounted on saidsup port, said car being mounted in such a manu nerthat when loaded it is eccentric to its axis of rotation whereby the travel of said support causes said car togrotateon said axis, and cushioned means for limi-ting the rotation of said car. y

6. In an amusement device, the combina tion of a track, a passengerfcar adapted to travel along said track, means whereby the car is caused to rotate on its 'axis whiie traveling along the track, and means whereby the occupant of the car may augment and retard such rotation.l i y 7. In an amnsement device, the combination of a track, a passeng'fer car adapted to travel along the track, means whereby the travel of the car along the track tends to impart an additional movement of the car, and means whereby said additional movement may be controlled by an occupant of the car.

8. In an amusement device, the combination of a traveling support, a passenger car rotatably mounted on said support, and a steering device mounted on said support and operatable by an occupant ofthe car for regulating the rotary movement of said car relative to said support.

9. In an amusement device, the combination of a traveling support, a vertically disposed steering member flxedly mounted on said support, and a passenger car mounted on said support and rotatable thereon with said steering member as an axis.

l0. In an amusement device," the combination of a traveling supporta passenger car rotatably mounted on said support, and a member rigidly mounted on said support and adapted to be grasped by an occupant of said car to swing said car on its axis relative to said support.

travel along said track, and independent means operatable by an occupant `of the car whereby the latter may cause the carto ro` tate on its axis.

12. In an 'amusement device, thecombi- I nation of a track, a support adapted to travel along said track, a car rotatably mounted on.

said support, and mea-ns operatable vby anj occupant of the car whereby the latter may,`

be caused to rotate on said support.

13. In an amusement device, the-combi# nation of ak traveling support, a vertically disposed post lixedv on'said support, a car rotatably mounted on said support as an axis, y

and means carried by said post and ladapted to be grasped by anoccupant of .saidy car whereby the car may be rotated relative to p the support.

of arch, 1922.

JoHN A. FISHER.

Signed at Sandusky, Ohio, this 10th day p i 

